The seventh annual Summer Sustainability Internship Symposium will include oral presentations by Angela Babb, Kayleen Glaser and Asmalina Saleh, followed by a poster session. Indiana Memorial Union Catering will provide a lunch featuring local and organic foods. Those interested in attending should register online. This event is free and open to the public.

Former intern Alexandra Aznar discusses her work in sustainability dashboards at a previous sustainability symposium.

Some interns will share the results of individual projects such as green initiatives at the IMU, campus composting research or the Hoosier to Hoosier Community Sale. Others will present findings regarding long-range research and implementation projects conducted in conjunction with the Campus Sustainability Advisory Board's seven working groups: academic initiatives, energy and the built environment, environmental quality and land use, food, resource use and recycling, sustainable computing, and transportation.

"Since 2007, over 200 sustainability interns have provided a vital link between academic programs and campus operations to transform our campus and community into a sustainability learning lab," Director of Sustainability Bill Brown said. "In these collaborative endeavors, they grow as scholars and leaders, passing on legacies upon which others may build."

In addition to showcasing the interns' work, the Office of Sustainability sees the Sustainability Internship Symposium as an opportunity to showcase the Green Events Program and Green Event Certification. The Indiana Memorial Union Catering Services will build the symposium menu around food available locally in August. Some of the produce will be sourced from the intern-led Campus Garden at Hilltop Garden and Nature Center. Additionally, the Neal-Marshall Center and IMU staff are working closely with the office to reduce the carbon, water and waste impacts by providing reusable dishware, composting, recycling and other services at the event.

"We are delighted that IMU Catering is continuing their partnership with our Campus Garden Initiative and sourcing campus-grown, organic greens from our student-run gardens at Hilltop," Assistant Director of Sustainability Emilie Rex said. "This is an excellent example of how these student-driven initiatives can build trust, support and ownership of sustainability among a diverse group of campus stakeholders."

The IU Office of Sustainability was established in March 2009. The Campus Sustainability Advisory Board is co-chaired by Peggy Maschino, associate director of business affairs at the IU Bloomington Physical Plant, and Michael Hamburger, professor in the Department of Geological Sciences. Its mission is to catalyze a thriving culture of sustainability in academic, research, operations, administration, campus life and community outreach to enhance environmental health, economic prosperity and social equity.